


many years forgotten

by scarsofsnowstorms



Category: Vinland Saga (Anime), Vinland Saga (Manga)
Genre: M/M, Manga Spoilers, theyre a bit ooc here but its mostly bc of the mood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:56:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21582646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarsofsnowstorms/pseuds/scarsofsnowstorms
Summary: "You grew a beard, princess?"
Relationships: Canute/Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 67





	many years forgotten

“You grew a beard, princess?”

Canute turned around, just in time to see the door to his bedroom door softly shut. There he saw Thorfinn whom he had not seen since the bloodshed in the Ketil farm.

“You certainly didn’t have much to say about it back then. You cut your hair short?” Canute says as a repsonse.

Thorfinn involuntarily touched the tips of his hair. “My sister forced me. Shaved my beard too, while she was at it.”

Canute smiled genuinely. He began undressing the garments which he did not need to wear inside his own bedroom. “You’ve reunited with your family, then?” He was not looking at Thorfinn as he said this. He was met with silence. Canute turned his head to look at his former bodyguard and saw a troubled expression on his face.

“Do not pretend as you do not know all of this, Canute.” Thorfinn did not meet his eyes.

The king let out a sigh. “I had to observe your progress as you observe mine. But enough about that, I hear you’ve found yourself a woman and a child now?”

Thorfinn was silent once again. Canute finally had enough.

“Why are you here, Thorfinn?”

It was then when Thorfinn finally moved from where he stood. He only stepped forward a few steps, but it was enough to close the distance between him and the king. They’re only an arm’s length away from each other now.

“You should know that my child is not of my own blood, Canute.”

“But it does not matter to you. You still consider him your child.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you here, Thorfinn?”

The warrior ignored the question again. “As for Gudrid . . . It was all a misunderstanding.”

“You married her, Thorfinn. I know you are not the kind of man who would marry without good reason.”

“I thought I loved her. I do, still, but not in the way I love you.”

Canute was taken aback, and unfortunately he was unable to hide it. His eyes widened and he took a step back from the former warrior. 

“Why are you here, Thorfinn?”

This time, the king’s question did not go unanswered. 

“Because I love you.”

Canute refused to falter.

“That is not a good enough reason. You are a married man.”

“Gudrid knows of the situation. She will still be my wife, but she knows I can never love her as one. She will always receive a love akin to that of a brother’s love from me.”

“Does she not love you?”

“She does, but she is a good woman. She knows she cannot force me to give my heart to her when it is already in the possession of another.”

It’s unfair, Canute thinks. It’s unfair for Thorfinn to still be able to make him weak in the knees and make his heart beat loudly against his chest even after all these years.

“You’re crazy, Thorfinn.”

Thorfinn does not respond, once again. Instead, he takes a small step forward and takes Canute’s face into his hard, calloused hands. He smiles even as he sees tears brimming in Canute’s eyes.

“You have the face of a king now, princess. I guess I can’t call you that now. But you’re still so beautiful, even with your beard and shortened hair.”

Canute weakly whispers, “stop.”

Thorfinn continues. “I’m sorry, my love, for thinking I could ever love someone other than you. I know that we have the blood of thousands of men on our hands, especially me, and I do not know if I even posses the right to love and be loved, but even then my heart still beats for you.”

Canute broke down then. He gathered Thorfinn in his arms and sobbed into the other man’s shoulder. It had been years - years of endless pain, continuously suppressing his emotions while dealing with his father’s head and ruling two entire nations. He had loved Thorfinn, he still does. Thorfinn was the boy he gave all of himself to. When he heard the other blond had a woman and a child, he could barely contain the pain and betrayal he felt. It was the weight of the crown, in the end, that kept him numb and grounded.

But now, Thorfinn was here, telling Canute words he has been waiting to hear for years. Parting with his lover had been the most excruciating experience, but Canute did not know whether or not Thorfinn could even forgive him. 

Thorfinn moved them to the bed, him sitting down as Canute sits on his lap. The king had calmed down, and was now only clinging on desperately to his former lover. He knew this would not last. They had decided to take different paths after all. But just this once, Canute will be selfish. Just this once, his paradise on earth is right there, already within his grasp.


End file.
